UPDATE: Legislation Approved That Reduces Pitt County School Board

The State Senate has approved legislation that will reduce the size of the Pitt County Board of Education.

According to Senate Bill 260 the Pitt county school board will be reduced from twelve members to seven.

The bill also reduces the term from six years to four years.

The bill went through many revisions, but was finally approved. The new law will begin in 2014.

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A late amendment to a bill that would dramatically alter the Pitt County School Board puts the final decision back in the hands of lawmakers.

Representative Bill Cook (R - District 6) pushed an amendment before the end of session Thursday night deleting the option for Pitt county voters to have their say about the number of people represented on the school board.

The amendment passed, omitting part of the bill that required it to be effective only if approved by a majority of the qualified voters of Pitt County in a referendum.

According to the General Assembly calendar, the bill is scheduled for a third vote in the House on Friday.

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Lawmakers have made a significant change to the legislation that would reduce the size of the largest school board in the state.

If the bill to reduce the number of board members on the Pitt County School Board receives approval from the General Assembly, it will also require another vote. Then, Pitt County voters must approve the measure.

Senate Bill 260 has been changed to require a local vote to reduce the number of board members, as well as the length of their terms. The bill aims to reduce the Pitt County School Board from 12 people to seven, and cut terms from six years to four.

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The bill to reduce the size of the Pitt County School Board has yet to be voted on by the State House of Representatives, although it was on the calendar for Wednesday.

The measure sponsored by State Senator Republican Louis Pate is on hold, following an objection filed by Representative Reupublican Stephen Laroque of Kinston, according to the Daily Reflector.

The bill aims to the reduce the largest school board in the state from 12 members to seven. The measure would also cut terms from six years to four.

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The NC House is scheduled to vote Wednesday on a bill that would dramatically impact the composition of the Pitt County Board of Education.

A House committee approved Senate Bill 260 Tuesday, and the calendar for the NC General Assembly says the House will vote on the issue today.

State Senator Republican Louis Pate is sponsoring the bill that would reduce the state's largest school board from 12 members to seven, and create four-year terms instead of the current six-year terms.

The bill has been a political lightning rod in Pitt County. The Greenville-Pitt County Chamber of Commerce's public support of the measure led the Pitt County Commissioners to withdraw their membership in the chamber.

Reducing the size of the board is something that's been brought up by the board in the past, but it never received enough support. School board member Jennifer Little proposed reducing the size of the board earlier this school year, something the Pitt County Board of Education Chairman Billy Peaden told WITN, he staunchly opposed.

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A committee in the State House of Representatives is scheduled to take up a Senate bill Wednesday that would affect the Pitt County Board of Education.

The calendar for the House government committee has Senate Bill 260 on its calendar.

State Senator Republican Louis Pate is sponsoring the bill that would reduce the state's largest school board from 12 members to seven, and create four-year terms instead of the current six-year terms.

The legislative session will be coming to an end soon. If the bill gets approved in the House committee, that could pave the way for a vote by the full House of Representatives. The Senate has already approved the bill.

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A controversial bill in the state senate that would reduce the number of people on the Pitt County School Board is one step closer to becoming law.

State Senator Republican Louis Pate is sponsoring the bill that would reduce the state's largest school board from 12 members to seven, and create four-year terms instead of the current six-year terms.

Tuesday, the bill passed the Senate and will now go to a vote by the house.

School Board President Billy Peaden says, "We'll do what we have to do, if we go to 7 board members, then we'll go to 7 board members, but I think we have a lot of hurdles to cross before that happens."

The Greenville-Pitt County Chamber of Commerce supports the change. President Susanne Sartelle says, "There are a lot of turf issues, there's a lot of devisiveness in the school board, I think if we get this bill passed it will make a positive difference for the future of public education in our community."

After the house votes, and if they agree with the bill, it will become law since the govenor will not have to sign a local bill.

Monday, the Pitt County Commissioners voted to drop out of the Greenville-Pitt County Chamber of Commerce, for the Chamber's support of Pate's bill.

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